"A vampire?" You asked, confused.

"Is this a joke?" Sherlock asked the man, harshly.

"I know it sounds odd, but it's true! My wife is a blood sucking demon!" Robert exclaimed. You and Sherlock stare at the man, completely in shock for a few moments before you speak up. "All right...um start from the beginning. Now....tell us about your wife." You said.

"Well, she's actually my second wife. My first wife passed away from cancer a few years ago." Robert said. "I'm so sorry." You said, softly. Robert nods in appreciation as Sherlock asked. "Did you have any children with your first wife?"

"Yes, I have a son, Jack. He's only fifteen years old." Robert replied. 

"And how did you met your new wife?" You asked. 

"It was a couple of years after my wife past away. I met her at the bank I work at and we seemed to hit it off real quick. We dated for alittle over a year then I proposed and we married a few months after that." Robert said. You nod at this. 

"Is your wife from here?" Sherlock asked him.

"No, she was born in Peru. But she moved here about ten years ago." Robert replied. "After we married, as you could probably tell, Jack was not very happy with me. He and I argued for a good chunk of an afternoon. He accused me of replacing his mother and he said he would never accept Abigail as his mother. Then when we announced she was pregnant, he was furious."

"Do Jack and Abigail get into arguments?" You asked him.

"At first, it was every other day, but when she was pregnant and then had the baby, they've been arguing every night." Robert said.

"So, what's this got to do with your wife being a vampire?" Sherlock asked him.

"Well, my niece watches the baby when we go to work and Jack goes to school. One day, Abigail came home early and went upstairs to check on the baby. Before my niece could leave, she heard a loud cry. Worried, she ran up the stairs and she saw Abigail leaning over the baby and apparently biting his neck. There was a small wound in the neck from which a stream of blood had escaped." Robert said and you gasped at this while Sherlock stares at Robert, intently.

"My niece was utterly horrified and threatened to call me but Abigail begged her not to say anything and she gave her a pretty good amount money to keep her quiet but she never gave an explanation on why she was sucking the baby's blood. For awhile, my niece kept the incident a secret but then came the time she couldn't hold it in any longer. She came to me and revealed what had happened. I, like you two, didn't believe her. I asked her if she had too much to drink. But then as we were talking, a sudden cry of pain rang out. We rushed, together, to the nursery." Robert said and he begins to wring his hands.

"Imagine my shock, Mr and Mrs Holmes, when I saw my wife rise from a kneeling position beside the cradle and saw blood upon the child's exposed neck and upon the sheet. I got a better look at her and saw that there was blood all around her lips." He finished and you felt a chill run down your spine. You couldn't imagine someone doing that to Victor. Although if someone did, they would be dead.

"Did she ever explain why she did it?" You asked him. "No. She gave me a look and I could see a wild, despairing look in her eyes. Then she rushed to our room and locked herself inside. Since then, she's refused to see me. Her friend, Dolores, is the only one who really talks to her. They've known each other for a long time." He replied.

"So, then Abigail's character would really be better known by Dolores than you." Sherlock remarked. "Correct." Robert said, nodding. "Can you help me, Mr and Mrs Holmes?"

You look over at Sherlock and the two of you have a silent conversation. Both of you nod and you turn to Robert. "We would be more than happy to help." You say to him. Robert sighs with relief. "Oh thank you! Thank You! Thank you!" He said, as he claps his hands together. "Now, I do have one question. Has your wife ever hit Jack?" Sherlock asked him.

"A couple of times, but it's always when they are shouting in each others faces. Sometimes her temper gets the better of her and she slaps him across the face." Robert replied. "Thank you, Mr Ferguson. Give us your address and we will stop by later today, we have a few things to take care of first." Sherlock said. "Yes, of course. Your landlady informed me, you were celebrating your son's birthday. Congratulations by the way." Robert said. "Thank you." You said, nodding at him. 

Robert nods at you two, hands you his address then he leaves the flat, leaving you and Sherlock alone. Sherlock stands up and raises his hands in the praying position against his lips. "I know that look. What's going on in that brilliant brain of yours?" You ask him. "I have a theory but we need to go to Ferguson's home, it should clear up some questions I have." He said.

"Alright, well let's finish cleaning up this mess then I'll ask Aunt Martha if she wouldn't mind watching Victor." You said. Sherlock nods then he leans in and kissed your cheek as the two of you got to work.

Later that day after asking Mrs Hudson to babysit, you and Sherlock get a cab and make your way to Sussex. The cab pulls up to an isolated and ancient farmhouse. It was a large, struggling building, very old in the center, very new at the wings with towering Tudor chimneys and a lichen-spotted, high-pitched roof of Horsham slabs. 

You two climb out of the cab and climb up the doorsteps to the house. Sherlock knocks on the ornate door and Robert answers the door. He leads you two into a large room with a huge old-fashioned fireplace with an iron screen.

Up on the wall, there was a fine collection of South American utensils and weapons, which you figured had been brought by Abigail. Sherlock walks over to the collection and examines them with care. He returns with his eyes full of thought. He turns and sees a spaniel laying in a basket in the corner. It came slowly forward towards Robert, walking with difficulty. It's whole leg moved irregularly and it's tail was on the ground.

"What is it, Mr Holmes?" Robert asked.

"The dog. What's the matter with it?" Sherlock asked.

"That's what puzzled the vet. A sort of paralysis. Spinal meningitis, he thought. But it's passing. He'll be all right soon." Robert replied. 

"Did it come on suddenly?" Sherlock asked.

"In a single night."

"How long ago?"

"It may have been four months ago."

"Remarkable." 

"What do you see, love?" You ask him. 

"A confirmation of what I had already thought." He replied as a small smirk plays on his lips. "For God's sake, what do you think, Mr Holmes?! This is a life and death situation to me! Don't play with me, Mr Holmes!" Robert shouted, angrily as he trembles 

"I fear that there is pain for you, Mr Ferguson, whatever the solution may be. I would spare you all I can. I cannot say more for the instant, but before I leave this house I hope I may have something definite." Sherlock replied, calmly, even though you swore you saw a hint of annoyance on his face.

"Where is Abigail?" I asked Robert. "She's still in our room." He replied. "Is there any way we could see her?" You ask. "I'm not sure, she's very selective on who she wants to visit." Robert replied. "What about if it's just me?" You ask. Robert thinks for moment but shrugs as he leads you up to their room. You turn your head to look at Sherlock, who nods at you. 

You smile back as you and Robert make your way to their shared bedroom. "Abigail? There's someone here to see you." Roberts said after he knocks on the door. "Who is it?" A soft female voice answered. Robert opens the door to reveal a very sickly looking woman laying in the bed.

"This is (y/n) Holmes, she just..." Robert started to say as Abigail looked at you then her eyes widen slightly. "Thank you, love. But I wish to speak to her, alone!" She said. Robert look taken aback by this outburst but he nods at her then leaves the room.

Now it was just you and Abigail. "Holmes? Are you related to that detective, Sherlock Holmes?" She asked me. "I'm his wife." You replied. She nods slightly then she asked. "Do you love him?"

You nod at her.

"Then I want to ask you something, Mrs Holmes. Even if it ended up killing you, would you do anything for your husband?" She asked you.

"Of course!" You say and the woman smiles. 

"Then you would understand why I have to do this." She said. "Robert loves you, dearly. He is confused and hurt at what is happening." You say to her. "I know. Which, again, is why I'm doing this. I love him so much that I would sacrifice myself rather than break his heart." Abigail said.

"But he doesn't understand." You said.

"No, he cannot understand. But he should trust." She replied. 

You look at her, eyebrow raised. "So there's something you know and you don't want Robert to know because it could break his heart?" You said and she nods. "Now please, leave me be." She said and you nod at her as you leave the room. You walk back to the living room and see Robert turning to you. You shake your head while Sherlock stares at you, intently. 

Suddenly, a young boy with a pale-face and fair-hair and blue eyes walks in. He sees his father and smiles. "Hey, Dad! Didn't know you were going to be home? I thought you had a meeting to go to?" He said. "I was able to get off early, son." Robert replied. Jack smiles at his farther then his eyes turns to us.

"Father, why is that detective fellow, from the papers, doing here?" He asked Robert.

"Oh, well...I invited them." Robert replied and the look that Jack gave you was not a friendly look.

"What about your other child, Mr Ferguson?" You asked him. Before Robert could reply, the front door opened and in walk a tall, blonde haired woman carrying a baby bag and pushing in a stroller. "Ah, there he is right now!" Robert exclaimed happily.

The woman smiles as they talk amongst each other and Robet bend down to pick up the baby. He smiles doen at the infant and you couldn't help but smile at this.

Sherlock, on the other hand, was more focused on Jack. If looks could kill Robert and the baby, both, would be dead right there on the spot. Sherlock smirks as he pull out his notebook and writes doen something before he tears the page out and folds it.

"Well, maybe it was a mistake to bring you two out here....." Robert started to say until Sherlock speaks. "You shall have your explanation, Mr Ferguson. But first, your wife needs to come down and join us." Sherlock said. "She wouldn't want to see me." Robert said. "Oh, yes, she will." Sherlock said, his voice in a low tone.

He hands you the note and said. "Can you go up and give this to her, love?" You nod and ascended up the stairs again.

You knock and open the door to see Abigail looking at you. "This is for you." You said as you hand her the note. Curiously, she takes the note and reads it and you could tell that her face lite up at this and she lets out a joyful cry. Then she gets up from her bed and you help her down the stairs as you two walk to the living room. 

"Good, now, Mr Ferguson. Rest assured, your wife is a very good, very loving and a very ill-used woman." Sherlock said and Robet sat up.in his chair with a cry of joy. "Prove that, Mr Holmes, and I will be in your debt forever." He said.

"I will, but in doing so I must wound you deeply again in another direction." said Sherlock.

"I don't care as long as you clear my wife." Robert said.

"Alright. The idea of a vampire was to me, absurd. Such things don't happen in criminal practice in London and yet your observation was precise. You had seen your wife rise from beside the child's cradle with blood around her lips." Sherlock said, quickly. 

"I did." Robert replied, nodding.

"Did it ever occur to you that a bleeding wound may be sucked for some other purpose than to draw blood?" Sherlock asked him and Robert looks at him, quizzically, when it started to make sense. "There was a queen, long ago, who sucked such a wound to draw poison from it!" You said. 

"Poison!" Robert exclaimed.

"Yes, I had a suspicion that, in a South American household, there would be a weapon present before I saw them. It might have been another poison, but that was what occurred to me. When I saw that little empty quiver beside the small birdbow, it's just what I expected! If the child were pricked with one of those arrows dipped in a drug, it would mean death. That is, if the poison hadn't been sucked out in time. Your dog just proved my hypothesis." Sherlock said.

"Someone poisoned my infant son?" Robert said, shocked. 

"Yes, your wife feared such an attack. She saw it made and saved the child's life, and yet she wouldn't tell you all the truth, for she knew how you loved the boy and she was scared to break your heart." Sherlock said.

Robert's jaw dropped at this. "Jack?!"

"I watched him as you held the child just moments ago. Never have I seen such jealousy, such cruel hatred, in my life." Sherlock said. "Well, expect maybe with Moriarty." You muttered and Sherlock smirks at you as Robert looks between you two, flabbergasted.

"My son, Jack?!"

"We're so sorry, Mr Ferguson. I understand that this is difficult for you, but it is true. Your son's jealousy and rage took over him and he couldn't hold in no longer." You said as Sherlock smiles at you. "Were we wrong, Abigail?" Sherlock asked. Abigail nods as her eyes fills with tears.

Robert looks over at Jack, who looks away from his father in defeat. "Jack...." Robert said, despairingly. Jack doesn't respond.

"Well, we'll leave you to it." Sherlock said as he gets up and you stand up as well. Robert nods and said. "Thank you, Mr and Mrs Holmes." You two say your goodbyes and leave the Ferguson's house.

"Well, that was interesting." You say as Sherlock flags down a cab. "Yes, most interesting." Sherlock mutters as you two climb into the cab and head back to Baker Street.

(A/N: I am so, so, so, so, so, so, sorry that I haven't updated this in months! I had a big time writer's block on this series. So hopefully, this was worth the wait. And I hoped you enjoyed this!)